Winterset Hollow

De: Jonathan Edward Durham

Narrado por: Jonathan Edward Durham

Everyone has wanted their favorite book to be real, if only for a moment. Everyone has wished to meet their favorite characters, if only for a day. But be careful in that wish, for even a history laid in ink can be repaid in flesh and blood, and reality is far deadlier than fiction...especially on Addington Isle.

Winterset Hollow follows a group of friends to the place that inspired their favorite book - a timeless tale about a tribe of animals preparing for their yearly end-of-summer festival. But after a series of shocking discoveries, they find that much of what the world believes to be fiction is actually fact, and that the truth behind their beloved story is darker and more dangerous than they ever imagined. It's Barley Day...and you're invited to the hunt.

Winterset Hollow is as thrilling as it is terrifying and as smart as it is surprising. A uniquely original story filled with properly unexpected twists and turns, Winterset Hollow delivers complex, indelible characters and pulse- pounding action as it storms toward an unforgettable climax that will leave you reeling. How do you celebrate Barley Day? You run, friend. You run.

©2021 Jonathan Edward Durham (P)2022 Jonathan Edward Durham

Absolutely LOVED this tale!!

Such a surprise find amid the unlimited choices of audible!! This story is like The Wind In The Willows, Narnia, The Magicians, Wildwood, and The Hunger Games all in one. The writing is beautiful, the characters instantly recognizable and the story will appeal to YA and adult readers. My only wish is that it was longer, and some of the early questions smoothed out, though it is a satisfying ending. It did take me a bit to get into the narration as the author reads FAST. I had to slow the narration to .8 speed for awhile to get used to his cadence. Loved this and now going to listen to it immediately again.

My Kind Of Story

I never write reviews for books. I believe art is personal, and as such, hard to judge fairly. Having said that…
I absolutely loved this book. The writing is superb, the story compelling, and the sarcasm is on point. It has everything I’m looking for in a book. I will read almost anything that is well written, but this book has the added complication of containing two books in one. And both hold my interests to the very last word. Bravo! Having the author read it for me was another kind of experience. His personality can be seen all over the pages but added the tone. It was almost preformed from memory instead of read page by page. Beautiful work.

I loved it

I loved the story. Admittedly I didn’t read up about what it was about before I bought it, so it was a total surprise for me. I always love it when the writer reads the story- this is his first book and I would guess his first time as a voice actor. It took me a little bit to get used to his style but I am pretty easy to please and he did a good job (considering his green-ness).

The story wasn’t what I expected. It was a bit sad and didn’t exactly leave me with joy and hopefulness in my heart after. But I loved the story and the blend of genres (like fantasy, adventure, slasher/horror). It was like getting two books in one as well. I really enjoyed it! And enjoyed giving my own account of the story to my friends who were intrigued snd horrified along with me :D!!

9 hours of quality storytelling

Incredibly well written. Nostalgic and brutally dark. At times I was reminded of my own painful childhood and others felt like sitting around a campfire gripped by a terrifying ghost story. Would recommend to those who enjoy dark humor and horror stories. I’d also like to note that although most stories I’ve listened to read by the author are a bit flat, this one wasn’t at all. It’s a rich performance.

Tip: Do not listen to slowly

I have seen people complain about the narration and at first, I did find the tone to feel a bit incomplete. I sped up the listening speed and it seemed to help a lot.

Durham does well at showcasing how animals can be powerful teachers and even reflections of human behavior, past and present.

Overall, I really enjoyed this story and loved how none of the rhymes or good lines felt misplaced or forced. Whether you like the genre of horror or not, I am certain once you get into the groove of the story, you will find it difficult to put the book down.

Layered With Meaning and Beautiful Sadness

Winnie-the-Pooh and The Wind In The Willows collide with The Most Dangerous Game and Animal Farm in Durham's Winterset Hollow. Exciting, surreal, and defying all expectations, the author has crafted something both somber and thought-provoking.
John Eamon Buckley and his two closest friends join a group of fellow fans of Winterset Hollow to embark on a pilgrimage to the isolated island home of the children's poem's author, E. B. Addington. The crowd of friends and strangers couldn't have prepared for--and never imagined--how intimate their glimpse into Addington's life would be.
What follows is a dizzying upheaval of everything they thought they knew and understood about the world around them. Awaiting the fans is a dark and scathing denunciation of the history they assumed to be true and a personal journey for Eamon as he discovers his connection to the beloved childhood story is deeper and more horrible than he'd suspected.
The poem at the heart of Winterset Hollow is something I could imagine published on its own, and I could understand how the fictional characters might have cherished its captivating story.
It's the larger narrative, beautifully written and complete with its damning subtext of the evils associated with colonization and Westward expansion in early America that I adore, though. It's so well-written and ingenious in its acknowledgment that Manifest Destiny and the American Dream were constructed on a substrate of nightmares levied against all those unfortunate enough to be in the path.
The audiobook narrated by Jonathan Edward Durham himself was a spectacular way to experience this story, and he managed to capture both the tarnished innocence of Eamon and the bitterness combined with the sadness of the residents of Addington Isle.

Impressive!

This one is unexpectedly great. Come for the ‘Surviving the Game with Winnie the Poohish Characters”, stay for the ‘Complex, Well-Written, Truly Engaging Modem Fairy Tale/Survival Horror Story That is Ultimately Heartbreaking and Hopeful’. Bravo. Really looking forward to more from this author. Great work.

binge worthy!

Clever story, great narration, compelling characters. absolutely loved it! Very creative and an "easy read" or listen.

Moving story

Appreciatively artistic and touching. Just what I needed to inspire me to search for new experiences.

Like one long chase scene or slasher film

The writing was very good, but the plot…well, I hate car chases in movies. They are boring and rarely do they move the plot along. This book reminded me of one long car chase scene. Also like a slasher film. Yes there’s some setup, and in the end you usually find out why the slasher does what he (usually a “he”) does…but the time in between is just adrenaline. Might be some folks’ idea of a good time, but not my cup of tea. I found the book fairly dull. I read comparisons with the Hunger Games, but I disagree. I loved the Hunger Games which was infinitely more interesting and the “game” served to move the more complex plot along.